Getting to Know the D800

I'm just getting to know the D800 a little better and I wanted to see what she could do. I had several questions to answer with this image. First of all can I shoot the D800 handheld ? I know I can with the D3s but the D800 is no speed demon and I was worried about noise with HDR at ISO 400. Second, can I do handheld HDR as I have been doing with the D3s more frequently now that the alignment routine in Photomatix has been greatly improved? And thirdly, how does the sharpness hold up at f16?

This is my unscientific test, a handheld, 5 exposure HDR of Jenny Lake in Grand Teton National Park, ISO 400, aligned and processed in Photomatix.



My conclusions from this little test?

1. Not much noise at ISO400 even with a 5xp hdr which can by the nature of the processing accentuate any noise present in the image. I will not be afraid to boost the ISO when needed.

2. Photomatix does a great job aligning the 36.3 megapixel images. I can use the D800 for handheld HDR.

3. Near to far sharpness is well maintained at f16 even with the 36.3 megapixel sensor. While there probably is some refraction and I didn't test more wide open aperture, I was pleased with the result and DOF achieved.

Natural Affinities

Celebrating two extraordinary American artists, Georgia O'Keeffe and Ansel Adams who met in Taos, New Mexico in 1929 forming a lifelong friendship. Both loved the Southwest and produced work that highlights the exceptional and unique beauty of the area. Adams was strongly influenced by the art of O'Keeffe and also the photography of Alfred Stieglitz, O'Keeffe's husband and the country's first advocate of modern art.




Their work; O'Keeffe's Paintings, and Adam's, Photography forever alter our perception of this area and the natural world.


Click here to view a full screen slide show.
Click here to view the Project on Flickr.

Homeward Bound

This is a shot from Red Rocks near Santa Fe, New Mexico taken on the last day of my recent "Natural Eye" workshop with Eddie Soloway. It took some effort on my part to break out of my comfort zone but doesn't any learning or change! Here are a few of the things I learned (click on the image for more commentary and images);

1. Simplify - Less is often More



2. Embracing Abstraction



3. Experiment



4. Work on Projects



5. Photo Play - Varing Techniques



6. Use DOF to focus attention



7. Seek the Essence of a Place



8. Work the Frame

The Moment of Clarity

It is conference weekend and my thoughts are of the light and understanding I receive listening to inspired leaders. I am reminded of an image posted a few years ago entitled "Seeking Light" Yesterday while taking some early morning shots prior to listening to conference I had a similar experience. I was standing in the middle of the road photographing the brown fields and a small canal when all of a sudden there was a change. I looked up a bit surprised and realized that the sun was shinning through a small clearing in the east. In a short time the magical light was gone.



Isn't that true in life? Flashes of inspiration, understanding, and light burst upon us, expectantly like a rainbow and then almost as quickly, fade. If we are not aware or if we are distracted by the jumble that is normal living we may miss the moment all together. Hence, the importance of slowing down, looking, feeling, and quietly waiting for that moment of clarity.